Another year is in the books and 2013 will be looked back as an incredible year at Bridal Hot List. We celebrated our first year, and each and every day we are growing in our followers and readers. We are so thankful for what the year brought, and look forward to 2014! To kick off the year, the writers of Bridal Hot List were encouraged to write in and ask the Chief Editor of the site anything at all. Here is the Q&A…

Q. How did you get into wedding business?

A. I took a class at a local college about the “Business of Weddings” where I learned about weddings and the wedding planning industry. It was one my favorite classes, and was so much fun to attend! I quickly became more interested and was an assistant to the top two wedding planners in Orange County. I was an assistant for a year, and learned the ropes until I felt that was ready to go out on my own. It has been a great time so far, and look forward to 2014 weddings!

Q. What is your favorite thrifty wedding trick?A. One of my favorite and easiest budget saving tricks is simple – Create your very own wedding invitations. This is a great place to save money! If you are on a really tight budget, then skip the “Save the Date” cards and instead you can email your guests and include a link to your personal wedding website, which are free! If you have good handwriting and the skill of arts & crafts, making invitations will be a perfect way for you to save money. A stack of embellished cardstock at JoAnn’s Fabric cost $19.99 and can make about 35 invitations. Or if you are not the crafty type, you can customize and design the invitations at VistaPrint.com for as low as $3.99 for 10.

Q. What event would you like to see Bridal Hot List be a part of in 2014? A. There are so many amazing events, but I would have to say the one that I would love BHL to be a part of would be New York’s Bridal Fashion Week. I am in love with all things wedding, but bridal gown trends are my favorite and it would be so great to have first look into all the bridal gown trends. I would LOVE to be part of this!

Q. What is the biggest mistake you’ve ever seen at a wedding? Was there any way someone could have prevented it?A. I have to say the biggest mistake I have seen is when a bride insisted to have her ceremony outside when it was a 95% chance of rain on that day. She insisted that she have it outside because they wanted an ocean-view. Even though a tent was going to be up, and the ocean-view will not be seen with the rain and all, they went on with an outside ceremony. When the day came, it poured hard, and it was very cold inside. Heaters were not allowed inside the tent due to Fire Marshall standards. So it was a beautiful ceremony… but cold, wet, and with no ocean view. It could have been totally prevented by going with Plan B, and moving the ceremony inside where it was warm and cozy for the couple and their guests. But at the end of the day, it is the bride’s decision, and no matter what, you have to support that. (even it may not be the right one)
Q. What new features on the site are you hoping to implement in 2014 that readers can get excited about?

A. We are hoping to add a more mobile friendly feature, making our articles even easier to view for our readers. We are also going to add interviews and live seminars where readers can ask us anything about weddings! We want to make it even more personal for our readers out there.

Q. Can I get away with not wearing a white wedding dress?

A. Totally!! If you are a traditional bride and want to rock out in something non-white, then go for it! These days, brides are wearing colors of blush, red, and even black. Yes, black, the total opposite of white. A wedding gown is reflective of a bride’s personality, and as long as it doesn’t clash with the venue, then wearing a non-white gown is fine.

Q. Do you have any flower suggestions for people with allergies?

A. We asked our friend and florist Sussanna Davidson from French Buckets to help us with this one! Here is what she told us:I would say any floral with no scent. Calla lilies and roses that have been in a green house and not scented. Succulents are also a perfect choice. Flowers that definitely needed to be avoided are: Stargazers, garden roses and flowers with lots pollen.

Q. I’m bad in heels, how do I work around that for my wedding?

A. You can opt to go with a shorter heel, and just make sure when you go to your alteration appointment, that you take those shoes with you, so they can make sure the dress is the right height. You would really not want to have your dress dragging all day. Actually, when I got married, I had to get shorter heel shoes, and they were not the prettiest shoes, but my dress was long and no one saw those shoes anyways! The key is to be comfortable. This is your wedding day, and you want it to be an incredible day!

Q. Is it tacky to register for more high priced gifts?

A. I think the best way to register gifts is to choose items from all price points. This will allow for your guests to have the option to choose a gift which best fits their budget. You do not want to force your guests to buy highly priced gifts if they can not afford it. So, yes you can totally register high priced gifts, because family members or those close to you will want to buy you something super nice to enjoy as a couple in your new home. Just think balance!

Q. Should I send thank you notes to everyone that attended my wedding, or just those who brought gifts?

A. Saying ” Thank you ” at the wedding reception to all your guests that attended the wedding is good enough. Unless you have a destination wedding, where they had to travel long ways to attend, then a thank you card would be appropriate then. If you sent a thank you card to those that did not bring a gift, it may seem like you are fishing for a gift. You do not want to make anyone feel bad or guilty. Make sure to make your rounds during the reception to thank your guests for coming to your wedding.

Q. What advice would you give someone who is planning their wedding on a tight budget?A. Hire a wedding planner! Wedding planners can help save couples money as they can help with setting a budget, and making sure they keep with in their budget. Most couples will set a budget, however they do tend to always go above that budget because things come up which they had not thought about. I always sit down with my couples and we go through a checklist of all possible items that is needed for the wedding day, and then we priotorize each one based on whats important to the couple. When couples work with me from the beginining of their wedding day planning process, and we have set a budget together, we are always under that budget. The couple is happy and so are the parents… or whoever is paying for the wedding!

Q. What is the most romantic honeymoon destination you have seen?

A. I know this may be obvious and not so surprising, but I have to say Kaui, Hawaii. This island is perfect for newlyweds. The island is small, with nothing but paradise bliss. What I love about this island is that is it simple, lovely, and very romantic. It may not have a whole lot of city life, but there is plenty of gorgeous surroundings to enjoy. Waterfalls, gorgeous mountain views, delicious foods, stunning beaches, Waimea Canyon, and lovely weather. After all the hustle and bustle of wedding day, this is the perfect place to relax and enjoy your loved one. If you want to have a little bit of city life, you can take a quick airplane ride into Oahu, Hawaii.